Rubber compositions used in various tire components (especially tire treads) often contain silica filler. Silica filler can be particularly useful in decreasing the rolling resistance of a rubber composition which translates into an improvement in fuel economy when the rubber composition is utilized in a tire tread. The use of silica filler can also influence the wear resistance of a rubber composition, with a higher surface area silica generally improving wear resistance more than a relatively lower surface area silica. An improvement in wear resistance translates into an improvement in tire life when the rubber composition is utilized in a tire tread. However, a silica with a relatively higher surface area is often more difficult to disperse in a rubber composition than a silica with a relatively lower surface area.